Cougars Down Golden Eagles 58-44 at Home

PROVO -- Freshman guard Julie Whetten came off the bench and sparked BYU's offense with a team-high ten points as the Cougars defeated Marquette, 58-44, Tuesday at the Marriott Center. BYU closes out a four game homestand at 3-1, and improves to 7-3 with the win, while the Golden Eagles drop to 4-5 on the year.

Whetten was the only Cougar to score in double digits, leading a balanced offensive effort for BYU. Erin Thorn and Lisa Osguthorpe each chipped in nine points, and Caroline Beus finished with eight points on the night.

Both teams struggled to get things going on offense in the first half. The Golden Eagles shot 46 percent from the field, while the Cougars managed to shoot just 39 percent in the first half. But despite the shooting difficulties, BYU managed to take a three point lead, 28-25, into the locker room at halftime.

"Both teams played good defense tonight," said BYU coach Trent Shippen. "Marquette is a very good defensive team. They're scrappy and they really get after the ball."

The Cougars stretched the lead to seven early in the second half, but Marquette fought back to tie the game at 38-38 midway through the half. The Golden Eagles then took a one point lead with 9:51 to play, as Heidi Bowman converted one of two free throws after the BYU bench was called for a technical foul. Bowman lead all scorers with 11 points for the game.

But the Marquette lead was short-lived, as the Cougars outscored the Golden Eagles 20-5 the rest of the way. A long jumper and a three-pointer by Kaly Shippen put BYU back up by four, and the Cougars continued to open it up from there. Osguthorpe hit a three from the corner, and on the next BYU possession Thorn converted a four-point play when she was fouled on a three-pointer from nearly the same spot.

BYU returns to action December 28, on the road against Idaho State.

Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS

MARQUETTE Golden Eagles vs BYU Cougars

12-19-00 7:00 PM at BYU MARRIOTT CENTER PROVO UT

VISITORS: MARQUETTE Golden Eagles 4-5

tot-fg3-ptrebounds

##Playerfgfgafgfgaftftaofdetotpftpatoblksmin

41BOWMAN, Heidif4120534145111130133

44SEFFERN, Kristinf35001204417022024

52ZAWODNY, Sarahc390002651116342127

13JOHNSON, Kristig25130000035020123

31SCHWERMAN, Kellyg03020000020131011

03GALES, Rashida 15010001112230115

11CUFF, Kristin 0201002022000004

12O'GRADY, Katie 0201121010110007

21KLUG, Rachael 36000021326021016

24STIEBER, Becky 02010002220002210

33WILLIAMS, Ebony 02010012310110011

35BOGOTT, Kylee 0000000000000002

40WEAVER, Crystal 34000011206200017

TEAM628

Totals..............19571155102022421644112086200

TOTAL FG%1st Half: 11-24 .4582nd Half: 8-33 .242Game: .333DEADBALL

3-Pt. FG%1st Half: 1-3 .3332nd Half: 0-12 .000Game: .067REBOUNDS

F Throw %1st Half: 2-2 1.0002nd Half: 3-8 .375Game: .5003

HOME TEAM: BYU Cougars 7-3

tot-fg3-ptrebounds

##Playerfgfgafgfgaftftaofdetotpftpatoblksmin

31OSGUTHORPE, Lisaf38122215629130034

50CHEESMAN, Heatherf23110023525210122

44BEUS, Carolinec36002312318111024

11THORN, Ering38241123529430136

22JENSEN, Stacyg07024402234330224

04SHIPPEN, Kaly G. 2312000001511009

14WHETTEN, Julie 472201022010010015

15COX, Jorja 0000000000000002

20LARSON, Brittany 2500001010411008

23ROSE, Chanell 16002412324000026

TEAM426

Totals..............205371311151221331358131414200

TOTAL FG%1st Half: 12-31 .3872nd Half: 8-22 .364Game: .377DEADBALL

3-Pt. FG%1st Half: 3-8 .3752nd Half: 4-5 .800Game: .538REBOUNDS

F Throw %1st Half: 1-2 .5002nd Half: 10-13 .769Game: .7332

----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------

Officials: CLARKE STEVENS, CHUCK GONZALES, MARIANNE KARP

Technical fouls: MARQUETTE Golden Eagles-None. BYU Cougars-BENCH.

Attendance: 281

Score by Periods1st2ndTotal

MARQUETTE Golden Eagles251944

BYU Cougars283058